With the Ravens’ first week of organized team activities in the books, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:

1. Making any bold proclamations after one spring practice is irresponsible, but Lamar Jackson showed more oomph with his intermediate passes, especially early in the session. His consistency waned over the final 45 minutes, however, with a few too many inaccurate and wobbly throws. Remember he’s also learning a revamped offense.

2. Being cautious with Marquise Brown (foot) and Miles Boykin (hamstring) is the obvious right call, but they can’t have too many reps with Jackson if they’re to make a meaningful impact as rookies. As we saw with Breshad Perriman, injuries can quickly torpedo expectations for a young wide receiver.

3. The competition at outside linebacker will receive more attention, but the likes of Willie Henry, Zach Sieler, and Pernell McPhee serving as viable interior rushers will be nearly as critical. Sieler is one to watch after he stuck on the 53-man roster all last season despite being active only twice.

4. Many seemed ready to write off Tyus Bowser or suggest he move to inside linebacker after the McPhee and Shane Ray signings, but the shortage of “Sam” outside linebackers capable of dropping into coverage keeps him in good position from a roster standpoint. The pressure is still on, of course.

5. While Kenneth Dixon skipped Thursday’s OTA, Gus Edwards and De’Lance Turner appeared to be in great shape as both looked leaner. It’s been mentioned before, but Turner was promoted to the 53-man roster a full month before Edwards was elevated last year.

6. Several defensive veterans exercised their right to not attend the voluntary workout, but Brandon Carr was present and working just days after his 33rd birthday. Father Time will eventually catch up, but his rock-solid play and understated leadership have made his 2017 signing a very good one.

7. New wide receivers coach and passing coordinator David Culley has immediately become one of John Harbaugh’s most vocal assistants as you hear him offering praise or blunt criticism for Ravens wide receivers. It’s quite a contrast from the quieter Bobby Engram, who is now coaching the tight ends.

8. Asked about his 2019 goals, Marlon Humphrey said he’s interested in “anything that ends with a ‘Bowl.’ It might be a stretch to envision this team in transition winning the Super Bowl this year, but I’m expecting Humphrey to make his first Pro Bowl as long as he stays healthy.

9. Jaylen Smith and Joe Horn Jr. have received attention as undrafted rookie receivers for obvious reasons, but 6-foot-4 Texas Tech product Antoine Wesley flashed multiple times Thursday, including when he caught a long bomb from Robert Griffin III. He lacks great speed, but you like the height.

10. That praise aside, please spare me the narrative of there being so much competition at wide receiver for one year, especially with an offense that so highly values the running game and tight ends. I’ve heard it — and sometimes fallen for it — too many times in the past.

11. Reports have linked six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to the Ravens, but it’s tough seeing a financial fit if he’s receiving offers as high as $11 million per year from interested teams. The 31-year-old has collected five or more sacks in seven straight seasons, however.

The Ravens won’t trim their roster to 53 players for nearly four more months, but the draft and rookie free-agent signings offer a much better idea of what John Harbaugh and his coaching staff have to work with for the 2019 season.

This exercise will carry more meaning as we advance into the preseason, but my all-too-early look at the roster is based more on track record, contract status, draft standing, and positional need than anticipating improvement or regression from any given player. We’ll get a much better idea of where players stand beginning with the snap distribution during organized team activities later this month.

In other words, don’t read too much into who might be deemed a bubble player now as much will change before the Ravens even get to training camp in July. Not all bubble players are on equal footing, of course, with certain position groups lacking as much quality depth and others enjoying an abundance of talent and likely falling victim to the numbers game.

Though general manager Eric DeCosta, Harbaugh, and the rest of the staff and front office are cognizant of the numbers at each position, trying to arbitrarily pinpoint a certain number of tight ends or inside linebackers isn’t the most accurate way of projecting a roster. The Ravens always look for reserves who will excel on special teams, so coaches will look carefully at players’ other attributes in addition to what they bring to their individual position groups when filling out the back of the roster.

The numbers in parentheses indicate how many players are currently on the roster at that position. As we move deeper into the spring and summer, I’ll provide updated looks as well as projections of who’s in and who’s out at different stages of the preseason.

QUARTERBACKS (4)
IN: Lamar Jackson, Robert Griffin III
BUBBLE: Trace McSorley
LONG SHOT: Jalan McClendon Skinny: How the coaching staff uses McSorley and how he develops will determine whether Baltimore carries three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster for a second straight year and only the second time in the last decade. Comparisons to New Orleans’ Taysom Hill — who is much bigger — will continue.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS (7)
IN: Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill
BUBBLE: Kenneth Dixon, De’Lance Turner
LONG SHOT: Christopher Ezeala, Tyler ErvinSkinny: Suggesting someone who averaged 5.6 yards per carry last year could be on the bubble speaks to the great backfield depth. Dixon could also be a trade chip entering the final year of his contract, but a history of injuries and suspensions could prompt a tough decision. Don’t sleep on Turner either.

WIDE RECEIVERS (12)
IN: Willie Snead, Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, Chris Moore
BUBBLE: Seth Roberts, Jaleel Scott, Jordan Lasley
LONG SHOT: Quincy Adeboyejo, Sean Modster, Jaylen Smith, Antoine Wesley, Joe Horn Jr.Skinny: With Baltimore expected to again use multiple tight ends and run the ball so frequently, the brass won’t feel compelled to keep more than four or five receivers unless others prove deserving of a spot. This is a critical preseason for Scott and Lasley, who played zero snaps as rookies last year.

TIGHT ENDS (5)
IN: Nick Boyle, Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst
BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Cole Herdman, Charles ScarffSkinny: Offensive coordinator Greg Roman may prefer having another blocking tight end in the mix to replace Maxx Williams, but it’s premature to handicap the chances of these candidates. Keizer spent much of last year with the organization, giving him a slight experience edge over the two rookies.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (16)
IN: Marshal Yanda, Ronnie Stanley, Orlando Brown Jr., Matt Skura, Ben Powers, Bradley Bozeman
BUBBLE: James Hurst, Alex Lewis, Jermaine Eluemunor, Greg Senat
LONG SHOT: Randin Crecelius, R.J. Prince, Patrick Mekari, Marcus Applefield, Darrell Williams, Patrick Vahe Skinny: Bozeman’s ability to play center makes him a safe bet while Hurst’s $4.75 million cap number and injury-riddled 2018 leave his status in at least some question until he proves his back problems are behind him. Time could be running out for Lewis, who just hasn’t been able to stay on the field.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (9)
IN: Brandon Williams, Michael Pierce, Willie Henry, Chris Wormley, Daylon Mack
BUBBLE: Zach Sieler, Gerald Willis, Patrick Ricard
LONG SHOT: Kalil Morris Skinny: This is a tough group to handicap after the duo of Williams and Pierce, but Henry is the best interior rusher on the roster despite missing most of 2018. Sieler is a good bet to make it as a 5-technique end, but the talented Willis could be the wild card after surprisingly going undrafted.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS (8)
IN: Patrick Onwuasor, Kenny Young, Chris Board
BUBBLE: Matthew Thomas, Alvin Jones, Otaro Alaka, E.J. Ejiya, Silas Stewart
LONG SHOT: noneSkinny: Board leading the team in special-teams tackles as a rookie leaves him safe at this point. The competition for a potential roster spot behind him is wide open, however, with Thomas, a former Pittsburgh Steeler, headlining a group lacking experience. They’re listed as bubble players by default.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (7)
IN: Matt Judon, Jaylon Ferguson, Tyus Bowser
BUBBLE: Tim Williams
LONG SHOT: Aaron Adeoye, Markus Jones, Michael Onuoha Skinny: Contributions on special teams and the shortage of strong-side or “Sam” backers give Bowser a clear edge over Williams, who appeared in only seven games in 2018 and was a healthy scratch by season’s end. There should be opportunities for the long shots to try to put themselves on the radar.

CORNERBACKS (11)
IN: Jimmy Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Carr, Tavon Young, Justin Bethel, Anthony Averett, Iman Marshall
BUBBLE: Cyrus Jones, Maurice Canady
LONG SHOT: Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Terrell Bonds Skinny: There isn’t a deeper group of corners in the NFL, leaving the Ravens with a good problem trying to decide which ones to keep. Jones returning kickoffs in addition to punts would cement his spot — he only did the latter last year — while the oft-injured Canady is in the final year of his rookie deal.

SAFETIES (6)
IN: Earl Thomas, Tony Jefferson, Chuck Clark, Anthony Levine
BUBBLE: DeShon Elliott
LONG SHOT: Bennett JacksonSkinny: Elliott is the one to watch in this group as he showed promise before breaking his forearm in the preseason last year and could potentially push Clark for some playing time in sub packages. Levine’s positional versatility remains an invaluable part of Wink Martindale’s defense.

SPECIALISTS (5)
IN: Justin Tucker, Sam Koch, Morgan Cox
BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Kaare Vedvik, Matthew Orzech Skinny: The Ravens will hope Vedvik kicks the football like he did last summer to improve his trade value at the end of the preseason. Beyond that, there’s little to see here.

Comments Off on Sizing up the 2019 Ravens’ 90-man roster following rookie camp

The Ravens returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, but where did their players stack up across the NFL in 2018?

Whether it’s discussing the Pro Bowl or determining postseason awards, media and fans spend much time debating where players rank at each position, but few watch every player on every team extensively enough to form any type of an authoritative opinion.

Truthfully, how many times did you watch the offensive line of the Detroit Lions this season? What about the Oakland Raiders linebackers or the San Francisco 49ers cornerbacks?

That’s why I appreciate the grading efforts of Pro Football Focus while acknowledging these rankings shouldn’t be viewed as infallible or the gospel of evaluation. I can respect the exhaustive effort to grade players across the league when most of us watch only one team or one division on any kind of a consistent basis.

Below is a look at where Ravens running backs ranked at their positions followed by the positional outlook going into 2019:

Gus Edwards2018 offensive snap count (including postseason): 286PFF ranking: 15th among running backs Skinny: Despite being on the practice squad until mid-October, Edwards seized the starting job and led the Ravens in rushing, a remarkable feat for an undrafted free agent. A physical, straight-ahead style and the threat of Lamar Jackson gave Edwards the lowest rate of attempts tackled for a loss in the league.

Alex Collins2018 offensive snap count (including postseason): 311PFF ranking: 56th among running backs Skinny: Collins ran effectively out of “11” personnel, but he was unable to duplicate his 2017 success and averaged just 3.6 yards per carry overall. Edwards’ emergence coupled with a nagging foot injury eventually landed Collins on injured reserve, leaving the restricted free agent’s future up in the air.

Kenneth Dixon2018 offensive snap count (including postseason): 152PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: A knee injury limited Dixon to just six regular-season games, but he showed explosiveness upon returning in December and averaged a team-best 5.6 yards per carry. Ball security was a concern as he lost critical fumbles in Week 16 and in the playoff loss, and durability remains a major question.

Buck Allen2018 offensive snap count (including postseason): 310PFF ranking: 53rd among running backs Skinny: Allen began the year as the short-yardage and third-down back, but his role diminished down the stretch as he was a healthy scratch for the last two regular-season games. The 2015 fourth-round pick will be an unrestricted free agent and averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and 5.6 yards per catch.

Ty Montgomery2018 offensive snap count (including postseason): 114PFF ranking: 42nd among running backs Skinny: Acquired at the trade deadline, Montgomery had his moments despite being used sparingly as he rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries and caught 10 passes for 65 yards. His pass protection was strong, but he didn’t really stand out as a pass catcher out of the backfield as Baltimore had hoped.

Patrick Ricard2018 offensive snap count (including postseason): 96PFF ranking: n/a Skinny: Ricard saw more time as a fullback than in the defensive line rotation, but he was inactive over the season’s final month. The free-agent status of both Nick Boyle and Maxx Williams could open more blocking opportunities, but there are only so many snaps to go around, leaving Ricard on the bubble.

De’Lance Turner2018 offensive snap count (including postseason): 9PFF ranking: 15th among running backs Skinny: The rookie free agent appeared in only four games and received three touches before going to IR with a hamstring injury, but he was promoted to the active roster before Edwards, a sign of the potential the Ravens see. The explosiveness he displayed last preseason is something on which to keep an eye.

2019 positional outlook

The promotion of Greg Roman to offensive coordinator makes Baltimore’s commitment to the running game clear, so it will be fascinating to see how the system evolves with Jackson entering his first full year as the starting quarterback. The combination of Edwards and Dixon was effective late in the season, but the Ravens could really use an impactful receiver out of the backfield, something they’ve sorely missed in their offense since the Ray Rice years. Some have speculated about the potential pursuit of three-time Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell in free agency, but such a strategy would deviate from how the organization has traditionally operated and Bell’s contract demands make you wonder if enough value will be there, especially after what Edwards brought to the table as an undrafted free agent. It will be interesting to see if Baltimore chooses to tender Collins, who didn’t appear to be a good fit in the revamped rushing attack after the bye week.

The start of free agency is more than two months away, but the Ravens enter their most interesting offseason in recent memory after rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson helped lead them to the playoffs for the first time in four years.

The Ravens currently have an estimated 2019 salary cap commitment of roughly $163 million to 45 players (not including free agents or players recently signed to reserve-future deals), according to OverTheCap.com. The 2019 salary cap has not been set, but it is projected to rise from $177.2 million in 2018 to at least $188 million.

New general manager Eric DeCosta is likely to clear additional cap space by renegotiating or terminating the contracts of a few veteran players. Of course, that list will be headlined by former starting quarterback Joe Flacco, who will be traded or released after 11 seasons in Baltimore. A trade or pre-June 1 release will save $10.5 million in cap space while leaving $16 million in dead money on the 2019 cap, but Jackson’s $2.1 million cap number for next season makes that dead money easier to endure.

Cornerbacks Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr, wide receiver Michael Crabtree, and safeties Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson are other potential candidates to be cap casualties. Those decisions will depend on how drastically DeCosta wants to reshape the roster and reset the salary cap in his first year replacing Ozzie Newsome.

Below is a look at Baltimore’s 2019 class of free agents:

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

The Ravens will have the opportunity to retain any of the following unrestricted free agents before they can officially sign with any team beginning on March 13 at 4 p.m.

RB Buck Allen – The former fourth-rounder went from leading Ravens backs in snaps in some early games to being a healthy scratch late in the season, but his special-teams ability helps his value.

TE Nick Boyle – He doesn’t offer too much as a receiver, but Boyle’s blocking ability was a critical part of Greg Roman’s run-game schemes, making his return a bigger priority than you might think.

WR John Brown – The speedy wideout says he’s open to returning, but he caught only 10 passes for 128 yards in Jackson’s eight starts, which certainly didn’t do any favors for his market value.

QB Robert Griffin III – The former first-round pick was a helpful mentor to Jackson and is open to returning as his primary backup unless he receives an opportunity to potentially start elsewhere.

RB Ty Montgomery – Acquired at the trade deadline, Montgomery is good in pass protection and averaged 5.5 yards per carry in limited duty, but the Ravens may want to look elsewhere.

LB C.J. Mosley – The Ravens would certainly love to keep the four-time Pro Bowl selection, but they may need to make him the NFL’s highest-paid inside linebacker to do it, making this a tougher call.

LB Za’Darius Smith – The versatile pass rusher isn’t the type of player Baltimore has typically re-signed to a big contract in the past, but other in-house options haven’t exactly stepped up.

LB Terrell Suggs – The 36-year-old plans to return for a 17th NFL season and wants it to be with the Ravens, but his quiet second half of the season and asking price will be factors to consider.

DE Brent Urban – The oft-injured lineman played in all 16 games and didn’t put up gaudy numbers, but a return on another cheap deal doesn’t appear out of the question.

TE Maxx Williams – Though he never lived up to his second-round draft standing and makes minimal impact as a receiver, Williams developed into a useful blocker over the last two seasons.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

The following players have accrued three years of service and have expiring contracts. The Ravens can tender each with a restricted free agent offer, but other teams may then sign that player to an offer sheet. If that occurs, Baltimore has five days to match the offer and keep the aforementioned player. If the Ravens elect not to match, they would receive compensation based on which restricted tender they offered that player.

There are three different tenders — the values won’t be set until the 2019 salary cap is determined — that can be made: a first-round tender ($4.149 million in 2018) would award the competing team’s first-round selection, a second-round tender ($2.914 million in 2018) would fetch the competing team’s second-round pick, and a low tender ($1.907 million in 2018) would bring the competing team’s draft choice equal to the round in which the player was originally drafted. For example, a restricted free agent selected in the fifth round would be worth a fifth-round pick if given the low tender. If a player went undrafted originally and is given the low tender, the Ravens would only hold the right to match the competing offer sheet and would not receive any draft compensation if they chose not to.

With less-heralded restricted free agents, the Ravens frequently elect to forgo a tender and try to re-sign them at cheaper rates.

The original round in which each player was drafted is noted in parentheses:

RB Alex Collins (fifth) – Baltimore’s leading rusher in 2017, Collins once seemed like a good bet to receive a second-round tender, but a foot injury and disappointing production leave his future uncertain.

CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste (second) –The 6-foot-3 defensive back had a chance to make the team before breaking his arm late in the summer, but he could be back to compete for a spot on a cheap deal.

LB Patrick Onwuasor (undrafted) – A strong second half could prompt the Ravens to use a second-round tender on him to deter teams from pursuing him and to serve as insurance for Mosley.

DT Michael Pierce (undrafted) – Baltimore’s best defensive lineman this season, Pierce will likely receive the second-round tender and could be in line for a substantial payday after the 2019 campaign.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS

These players have less than three years of accrued service and can be tendered a contract for the league minimum based on their length of service in the league. If tendered, these players are not free to negotiate with other teams. Typically, the Ravens tender all exclusive-rights free agents with the thought that there’s nothing assured beyond the opportunity to compete for a spot. Exclusive-rights tenders are not guaranteed, meaning a player can be cut at any point without consequence to the salary cap.

WR Quincy Adeboyejo – After missing the entire 2018 season, the 6-foot-3 wideout will compete for a roster spot after flashing from time to time in his first training camp in 2017.

RB Gus Edwards – One of the great stories of 2018, the 238-pound back will go into his second season trying to maintain the starting job in a run-heavy offensive attack.

OL Jermaine Eluemunor – The 2017 fifth-round pick spent a few weeks on the practice squad early in the season and will again be competing for a job on the 53-man roster

C Matt Skura – The former practice-squad member started all 16 games at center, but it will be interesting to see if the Ravens seek an upgrade at this important position along the offensive line.

RB De’Lance Turner – It’s easy to forget Turner received a practice-squad promotion before Edwards, but he’ll be fighting for a spot after spending most of the season on injured reserve.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens have promoted rookie Gus Edwards from the practice squad to address concerns at running back ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Tennessee.

A hamstring injury suffered by rookie running back De’Lance Turner on Wednesday necessitated a move as Baltimore had only two healthy backs — Alex Collins and Buck Allen — on the 53-man roster. Edwards, a 6-foot-1, 238-pound Rutgers product, spent the spring and summer with the Ravens and rushed for 174 yards on 53 carries and caught three passes for 34 yards during the preseason.

“We’re very confident with either one of those guys,” said head coach John Harbaugh about Edwards and Turner on Friday. “They’re both kind of in the same bucket. They do the same things.”

Turner was placed on injured reserve to make room on the 53-man roster, an unfortunate development for the rookie after Harbaugh expressed a desire earlier this week to give him more opportunities. The Alcorn State product had caught two passes for 17 yards and carried once for four yards in four games since replacing the injured Kenneth Dixon on the 53-man roster after Week 1.

Defensive tackle Michael Pierce (foot) was listed as questionable after returning to practice on a limited basis on Friday. It’s unclear how much he was able to do as the entire session was closed to the media, but Pierce was wearing a walking boot on his right foot in Cleveland last Sunday and has missed two of the last three games with the injury.

Cornerback Tavon Young (hip) is also questionable after practicing on a limited basis on Friday. The nickel back missed Thursday’s workout.

Cornerback Brandon Carr (knee) and defensive back Anthony Levine (hamstring) were also designated as questionable, but both practiced fully on Thursday and Friday and are not in danger of missing Sunday’s game. Outside linebacker Tim Williams (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis all week and was listed as questionable after missing last week’s game against the Browns.

For what it’s worth, 17 of the 21 Ravens players listed as questionable on the final injury report through the season’s first five weeks have been active for that week’s game.

The Titans did not list Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan (foot) on their final injury report after he practiced fully for the second straight day. However, Tennessee has depth concerns at the linebacker position as starting inside linebacker Will Compton was ruled out with a hamstring injury and fellow starting inside backer Wesley Woodyard was limited with a shoulder injury all week after missing the Titans’ game in Buffalo last week.

Former Ravens linebacker Kamalei Correa was listed as questionable with a foot injury, but he practiced fully on Friday.

According to Weather.com, the Sunday afternoon forecast in Nashville calls for rain showers and temperatures in the high 60s with a 65-percent chance of precipitation and winds up to 11 miles per hour.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens are still waiting on the return of a key member of their defensive line ahead of a third consecutive road game at Tennessee on Sunday.

After suffering a setback with a lingering foot injury that kept him out of the Week 5 loss at Cleveland, defensive tackle Michael Pierce was absent from Wednesday’s practice and is in danger of missing his third game in four weeks against the Titans. The third-year defensive lineman was spotted in a walking boot prior to the Browns game, but he was not wearing it in the locker room before Wednesday’s workout.

Pierce’s absence in Week 5 was eased by the return of defensive tackle Willie Henry after a four-game absence, but head coach John Harbaugh didn’t downplay how important Pierce is to the league’s top-ranked scoring defense. He missed the Week 3 win over Denver and played the following week in the victory over Pittsburgh before resurfacing on the injury report late last week.

“That’s a firm ‘maybe.’ I’m very hopeful, and I say that in all sincerity,” said Harbaugh about Pierce’s availability for Sunday. “I’m very hopeful. We’ll find out, but we could use him. He’s a factor inside. He’s a big difference.”

Six other players missed Wednesday’s practice, but the only real concern in that group appears to be rookie cornerback Anthony Averett, who has missed three straight games with a hamstring injury. Cornerback Brandon Carr (knee) and defensive back Anthony Levine (hamstring) also missed last Wednesday’s practice before practicing the rest of the week and playing against the Browns.

Outside linebacker Tim Williams returned to practice after missing the Cleveland game due to a hamstring injury.

Rookie running back De’Lance Turner was listed as a limited participant on the injury report after tweaking his hamstring during the opening portion of practice open to reporters. Turner left the field with a member of the training staff, and it’s unclear whether he returned later in the session. If the injury is serious, the Ravens would have only two healthy running backs — Alex Collins and Buck Allen — on the 53-man roster, which would likely necessitate a roster move. Rookie running back Gus Edwards is on the practice squad after spending the spring and summer with the Ravens.

Harbaugh confirmed former New England cornerback and Gilman product Cyrus Jones will be in the mix for the return specialist job after being claimed off waivers on Monday. The Ravens have already used Janarion Grant and Tim White — who are both on the practice squad — in that role, but ball security was a problem for each of them. Harbaugh and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg will evaluate other in-house options in addition to Jones this week.

“He’s done it before, so he’s in the mix,” Harbaugh said. “Obviously, the thing about Tim and Janarion, we could bring those guys up on Saturday if we wanted to. We just have to figure out the roster stuff. We have some other guys who are going to do it. John Brown is going to practice up back there. Of course, Willie [Snead] is back there practicing. I guess we’ll just kind of find out on Sunday and let them figure out who it’s going to be.”

Meanwhile, the Titans were without three starters for their Wednesday practice with two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan being the most notable. Lewan left Sunday’s loss at Buffalo with a foot injury and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging exam for it earlier in the week. He told reporters after Sunday’s game that he dealt with a similar injury last year despite playing in all 16 games.

“I would probably anticipate this thing hopefully improving,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said on a Wednesday conference call. “But then we’ll have to see where he’s at at the end of the week and if he’s able to practice.”

Starting inside linebacker Wesley Woodyard (shoulder) practiced on a limited basis after sitting out in Week 5. Safety Kenny Vaccaro remains sidelined with an elbow injury and is unlikely to play against the Ravens.

A disappointing start to Kenneth Dixon’s NFL career continued Wednesday with the Ravens placing the running back on injured reserve shortly after ruling him out for their Week 2 game in Cincinnati.

Appearing in his first regular-season game since the end of his rookie season, Dixon left late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over Buffalo with a knee injury and didn’t return. The 2016 fourth-round pick from Louisiana Tech missed the entire 2017 campaign after undergoing left knee surgery in July.

Dixon has appeared in just 13 career games because of multiple knee injuries and also served two drug-related suspensions while he was sidelined last season. He rushed for a game-high 44 yards on 13 carries and scored one of six Baltimore touchdowns against the Bills, but the 5-foot-10, 228-pound back missed a sizable portion of training camp with a hamstring injury, which prevented him from seriously challenging starter Alex Collins or top backup Buck Allen for more carries in the Ravens backfield.

It’s unclear just how long Dixon will be sidelined, but NFL Network reported earlier Wednesday that he was expected to miss “several” weeks. Dixon would be eligible to be designated to return later in the season after sitting out a minimum of eight weeks. Teams are allowed to bring back two players from IR over the course of the season and do not need to make the designation in advance.

To take Dixon’s place on the 53-man roster, the Ravens promoted undrafted rookie running back De’Lance Turner, who rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown in the preseason.

The Ravens will also be without one of their top reserve cornerbacks against the Bengals as Maurice Canady was declared out with what’s listed as a thigh injury. The third-year defensive back missed the final three preseason games with a hamstring injury, but he played in the season opener and was even on the field for the final play of the game, making it unclear when he might have suffered a setback.

Canady’s absence means rookie cornerback Darious Williams is likely to be active after being a healthy scratch in Week 1. Baltimore was already dealing with the suspension of top cornerback Jimmy Smith, so not having the versatile Canady will further test the depth behind current starters Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Carr and nickel corner Tavon Young.

Rookie return specialist Janarion Grant was listed as questionable to play after being limited in practice with a hand issue, something worth monitoring going into Thursday’s game.

The Ravens valued familiarity in re-signing 10 players who were waived Saturday to their practice squad while also adding a Baltimore native to the mix.

Former New England cornerback and return specialist Cyrus Jones has joined his hometown team’s practice squad. The Gilman graduate was a 2016 second-round pick out of Alabama, but disappointing play and injuries led to him being waived by the Patriots this weekend.

Siragusa missed his entire rookie season after suffering a very serious knee injury early in training camp last summer. The San Diego State product was slow to recover this offseason and is still trying to regain his pre-injury form, but he will now be able to continue his development while remaining with the organization.

Waller, a 2015 sixth-round pick, appeared in 18 games in his first two seasons and stood out as a good special-teams player, but he was suspended for the entire 2017 season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and has admitted to using marijuana in the past. The 25-year-old was in contention for a roster spot at the end of the preseason despite being reinstated by the league only last month.

Of the players waived by Baltimore on Saturday, defensive tackle Carl Davis (Cleveland) and offensive tackle Andrew Donnal (Detroit) were the only ones claimed by other teams. Defensive end Bronson Kaufusi was signed to the New York Jets’ practice squad on Monday.

The Ravens were not awarded any players off waivers, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t put in any claims as they were only 16th of the 32 teams on the priority list.

Comments Off on Ravens add Baltimore native, two others to complete practice squad

With the Ravens continuing their undefeated streak in a 27-10 win over Miami, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:

1. ARavens defenseplaying without Terrell Suggs, C.J. Mosley, Eric Weddle, Brandon Carr, and Willie Henry held the Dolphins starters to a total of two yards in the first quarter. You can debate where the high-end talent ranks compared to other teams, but this defense is extremely deep.

2. Lamar Jackson had his best preseason performance, running for a touchdown and throwing for another. I was most impressed by his 33-yard completion to Tim White, a play in which he scrambled left and easily could have taken off. Seeing him keep his eyes down the field was a positive.

3. Between Jackson’s improved play and a new list of health concerns entering the season, Robert Griffin III can’t be liking his roster chances as much as he did a week ago. Whether it’s with the Ravens or elsewhere, the former first-round pick has proven he belongs on an NFL roster.

4. Tony Jefferson made his preseason debut, seeing 19 defensive snaps and making four tackles. After an underwhelming first season in Baltimore, Jefferson had to be itching to get out there as Chuck Clark played solid football and the now-injured rookie DeShon Elliott showed promise for the future.

5. Sixth-round pick Bradley Bozeman starting at right guard suggests he may have surpassed Jermaine Eluemunor for a roster spot, but it was more interesting seeing him flip positions with starting center Matt Skura later in the first half. Center remains a real concern after the free-agent departure of Ryan Jensen.

6. Stanley Jean-Baptiste is doing everything he can for a roster spot in the aftermath of Jimmy Smith’s suspension as he intercepted a pass in a second straight game. He and rookie Anthony Averett have played very well, which you don’t expect from corners so low on the depth chart.

7. With Hayden Hurst out to start the season, fellow rookie Mark Andrews now has a better chance to contribute immediately. His initial response to that opportunity was a drop on a Griffin pass thrown slightly behind him and a false start on a first-and-goal from the Miami 1. Not good.

8. The weak-side inside linebacker competition is trending upward after good performances from both Kenny Young and Patrick Onwuasor. My guess is we’ll continue to see a rotation early in the season, but Young will be tough to keep off the field as he gains more experience.

9. Greg Senat started at left tackle and had a chance to solidify a roster spot with a decent showing, albeit against Pro Bowl defensive ends Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn. Instead, the rookie struggled early and left with a foot injury, leaving his status in question. Stay healthy, Ronnie Stanley.

10. De’Lance Turner showed breakaway speed on his 65-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, but the seal delivered by Nico Siragusa and perfect trap block from Randin Crecelius were refreshing to see after uninspiring play from the reserve interior line for most of the preseason.

11. It was good seeing Jordan Lasley, Janarion Grant, and White show a pulse in the receiver and returner competitions after the Indianapolis debacle. I’m not convinced Grant or White is on the verge of “winning” the return job, but I still believe the Ravens like Lasley’s potential despite his struggles.

12. I agreed with the decision to rest key starters, but Joe Flacco has played 10.4 percent of the time a Ravens quarterback has lined up this preseason. Terrell Suggs has taken 23 snaps in four games. There has to be a better way without gouging fans for a bad product.

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